Media Transfer Protocol not working on Windows 10 [Fix]

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If you want to transfer files from a multimedia device, you need to use MTP, but sometimes Media Transfer Protocol isn’t working properly. All versions of Windows use this protocol to transfer multimedia files, however, issues with it can occur and you might get the following messages:

MTP USB device not installing

MTP USB Device driver failed

MTP not recognized

The problems with Media Transfer Protocol can prevent you from transferring files to your PC, so today we’re going to show you how to fix this issue on Windows 10.

Solution 1 – Check if your phone supports MTP

Before we start we have to mention that not all devices support MTP. Some older phones might not be fully compatible with your PC since they don’t support this protocol. If that’s the case, you probably won’t be able to transfer files from this device using a USB connection. Fortunately for you, most Android, iOS and Windows Mobile devices fully support MTP, so you shouldn’t have any issues with it.

Solution 2 – Update your current MTP device driver

When you connect a new multimedia device to your PC, it automatically installs the necessary drivers. However, it can occur that you don’t have the proper Media Transfer Protocol driver installed thus causing this problem to occur. To fix the issue, you need to update your current Media Transfer Protocol device. To do that, follow these steps:

Now locate your camera, phone or tablet in Device Manager, right click it and choose Update Driver Software from the menu. Your device should be located in Portable devices or in Other devices section.

Now select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer option.

List of hardware types will appear. Select your device from the list. In our case we chose Mobile devices. You can also choose Android Device, Android Phone or Universal Serial Bus Devices.

List of compatible hardware will appear. Select MTP USB Device and click Next to install it. Wait for the driver to install.

In addition, you can also visit your device manufacturer’s website and download the latest USB driver for your device. After installing the latest driver you should be able to transfer files from your media device without issues.

Update drivers automatically (third-party tool suggested)

Downloading drivers manually is a process that carries the risk of getting the wrong driver installed, which may lead to serious malfunctions. The safer and easier way to update drivers on a Windows computer is by using an automatic tool such as TweakBit Driver Updater.

Driver Updater automatically identifies each device on your computer and matches it with the latest driver versions from an extensive online database. Drivers can then be updated in batches or one at a time, without requiring the user to make any complex decisions in the process. Here is how it works:

Once installed, the program will start scanning your PC for outdated drivers automatically. Driver Updater will check your installed driver versions against its cloud database of the latest versions and recommend proper updates. All you need to do is wait for the scan to complete.

Upon scan completion, you get a report on all problem drivers found on your PC. Review the list and see if you want to update each driver individually or all at once. To update one driver at a time, click the ‘Update driver’ link next to the driver name. Or simply click the ‘Update all’ button at the bottom to automatically install all recommended updates.Note: Some drivers need to be installed in multiple steps so you will have to hit the ‘Update’ button several times until all of its components are installed.

Disclaimer: some features of this tool are not free.

Solution 3 – Make sure that your phone is set to work in MTP mode

Multimedia devices such as smartphones and tablets support two connection modes, MTP and PTP. PTP allows you to transfer pictures, but MTP mode lets you transfer any type of file to your PC. All modern multimedia devices allow you to choose between these two modes, and in order to transfer multimedia files you need to use MTP mode. You can set MTP mode on most phones simply by navigating to the Settings menu and choosing to connect your phone as a Media or MTP device.

Most devices allow you to change this setting right from the notification menu, so be sure to check there as well. It’s worth mentioning that minor glitches with this feature can occur, and you can sometimes fix them simply by switching between PTP, MTP and Charging mode couple of times on your device.

Solution 4 – Install wpdmtp.inf file

If Media Transfer Protocol isn’t working on Windows 10, you might be able to fix it simply by running wpdmtp.inf file. This process is rather straightforward, and you can do it by following these steps:

Once you open INF folder, locate wpdmtp.inf file. Right click that file and choose Install from the menu.

After you install wpdmtp.inf, restart your PC. Once your PC restarts, check if the Media Transfer Protocol is working properly.

Few users reported that they don’t have this file on their PC. If that’s the case, you need to transfer this file from another Windows 10 PC. Alternatively, you can download it from a third-party source, but this usually isn’t the safest solution.

Solution 5 – Try a different port or cable

Sometimes Media Transfer Protocol isn’t working due to problems with your USB port or cable. If your media device isn’t recognized and you can’t transfer your files, try connecting it to a different USB port. USB hub can also cause this problem, therefore it’s recommended that you connect your device directly to your PC without using the hub. Lastly, be sure to try using a different cable and check if the problem still persists.

Solution 6 – Turn on the Airplane mode

Airplane mode is a useful feature on mobile devices and laptops that will turn off all wireless signals. According to some users, wireless signals can sometimes interfere with Media Transfer Protocol. To fix this issue users are recommending that you turn on Airplane mode on both your phone and PC and check if that solves the problem.

Most phones have Airplane mode option, and you can turn it off from the Settings menu or from the notification panel. Airplane mode is also available on laptops, and you can turn it off by doing the following:

Go to Network & Internet section. Select Airplane mode from the left pane and turn on the Airplane mode.

After turning on Airplane mode, try to connect your device and check if Media Transfer Protocol is working properly.

Solution 7 – Install Media Feature Pack

Media Transfer Protocol is closely related to Windows Media Player. N and KN versions of Windows 10 don’t have Windows Media Player installed by default. As a result, Media Transfer Protocol won’t work on your PC. Fortunately for you, you can easily install Windows Media Player and all its components. To do that, simply download Media Feature Pack and install it. After installing Media Feature Pack, check if Media Transfer Protocol is working properly.

In addition to Media Feature Pack, several users reported that Media Transfer Protocol Porting Kit can also fix this issue. To solve this problem simply download Media Transfer Protocol Porting Kit and install it. After doing that, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 8 – Use Command Prompt

If Media Transfer Protocol isn’t working properly, you might be able to fix it by using Command Prompt. To do that, you need to do the following:

After running the command, close Command Prompt and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 9 – Edit your registry

Before we start we have to mention that this solution is potentially dangerous, so you’re using it at your own risk. Modifying the registry can lead to system instability, therefore we strongly advise that you create a backup of your registry or System Restore point. To edit your registry, do the following:

When Registry Editor opens, in the left pane navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class key.

Now you need to export your registry. To do that, right click the Class key and choose Export from the menu.

Now select the save location, enter the file name for your backup and click the Save button. In case anything goes wrong after modifying the registry, you can always use this file to restore your registry to its original state.

Press Ctrl + F to open the Search window. Now enter Portable Devices in Find what field. Select Keys, Values and Data. Now click on Find Next button.

Registry Editor will now search for Portable Devices value. If Registry Editor can’t find this value, you can skip this solution since it doesn’t apply to you.

If Portable Devices value is found, look for UpperFilters value in the same key. Delete UpperFilters value and restart your PC.

After your PC restarts, the issue should be resolved completely.

Once again we have to mention that this solution is potentially dangerous. If you accidentally delete a wrong value you can cause stability issues with your PC. Therefore be sure to create a backup and System Restore point before trying this solution.

Solution 10 – Reinstall your driver

In some cases Media Transfer Protocol issues can occur due to problems with your drivers. If drivers are the problem, you should be able to fix this issue by reinstalling them. This is a rather simple process and you can do it by following these steps:

Open Device Manager and show all hidden devices. To see how to do that, check Solution 2.

Locate your multimedia device. The device should be located in Universal Serial Bus controllers or any other similar section. In some cases your device can even have an exclamation mark before its name thus signalizing that there’s a problem with the driver.

Right click your multimedia device and choose Uninstall from the menu.

If available, check Delete the driver software for this device. Click OK.

Wait while Windows removes the driver.

After removing the driver, restart your PC.

Once your PC restarts, Windows 10 will install the default driver automatically. After the driver is installed, check if Media Transfer Protocol is working properly.

Solution 11 – Disable driver signature enforcement

If Media Transfer Protocol isn’t working on your PC, you might be able to fix it by disabling driver signature enforcement and installing your drivers manually. Driver signature enforcement is a useful feature that ensures that all your drivers are valid and digitally signed. This prevents installation of unverified and potentially dangerous drivers. However, this feature can sometimes prevent you from installing regular drivers, but you can disable it by following these steps:

Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.

Navigate to Update & security section. Select Recovery tab on the left and click Restart now button in the Advanced startup section.

After your PC restarts you’ll see a list of options. Press 7 or F7 on your keyboard to disable driver signature enforcement.

Your computer will restart and Windows 10 will start normally.

After disabling driver signature enforcement feature, try to install drivers for your multimedia device manually. For more information on how to do that, check Solution 2.

Media Transfer Protocol is a crucial component of Windows 10, and if MTP isn’t working, you won’t be able to transfer files from multimedia devices. Although this problem can be annoying, you should be able to fix it by using one of our solutions.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May 2017 and has been completely revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.